


Let's run forever

by Yamiga



Category: Tokyo Ghoul, Tokyo Ghoul Jack
Genre: Alternate Ending to Tokyo Ghoul Jack, Friendship, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-22
Updated: 2015-04-22
Packaged: 2018-03-25 06:59:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3801121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yamiga/pseuds/Yamiga
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Just live normally for a little while”.<br/>- Taishi takes those words to heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let's run forever

The investigation had just about been cleared out.

 

Taishi had visited the crime scene many days after he and Arima had their last talk. By now, the trucks that circled the school and the area were gone, save for one or two. Taishi knew it would be less than a week for the CCG to leave the ward completely. And with them, they'd take Arima, of course.

 

Taishi hadn't been able to really come to terms with how he felt about that.

 

He was still in a daze, trapped in depression and countless false illusions. The shock of losing his friends to something far beyond his control, was still sickening. He went to bed every night, hoping and praying that he was just dreaming. That he'd wake up and they'd be there knocking on his window, beckoning him to cause trouble with them.

 

He didn't know which was more painful. Waking up to the revelation that they were gone, or having enough hope to believe that he was just dreaming.

 

Either way he looked at it, his friends were gone. His life was forever changed...nothing was constant. He and his mother's relationship had broken completely, talking to Aki became a chore. All she could ever think about was how much she missed Ryu.

 

Taishi felt his life slipping out of his hands...

 

Everything seemed to fall through his fingers like sand. He barely had any grasp of what was happening...things were changing so quickly. He only wanted things to go back to how they were before. Before the ghouls, before the deaths....

 

_Before Arima..._

 

Taishi had to pause for a moment at that thought. The very thought that he could associate Arima of all people with such a negative undertone and connotation was almost sickening in itself. Arima was responsible for his life...for Aki's life...Arima was responsible for the little happiness he had left, the little happiness he could be thankful for...Arima was perhaps, the only constant thing in his life. Arima had seen death, he'd seen hatred and sadness, yet he'd never changed.

 

The only constant in Taishi's life was about to leave, and he'd have absolutely no idea how to function.

 

_What would be the point of living?_

 

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

 

It had been nearly a week since the two had talked.

 

As Taishi walked up the stair case to Arima's permanent residence, he half feared the blue haired boy would be gone.

 

 _Don't think like that...the trucks are still there...so is he..._ He made it to the apartment door, where he softly knocked on the hard wood. It took all of five seconds for the lock to unhinge, and Arima to open the door.

 

He stood there, looking as laid back and easy going as always. It appeared he'd just woken up. His hair was a little rustled, his glasses were a little sloppy on his face and he seemed a little tired. He wore a T-Shirt and some long shorts; Taishi supposed those were his pajamas.

 

“Is there something you need Taishi?” He sounded as normal as always. “It's been a while.”

 

“Two weeks is a while?” Taishi mused, leaning against the door frame. “Can I come in? You're not leaving yet are you?”

 

“Yes,” Arima stepped back. “you may come in.”

 

A few shifts and movements and Taishi finally made his way over the threshold. The door was shut behind him as he was led to the couch. He realized that most of Arima's things were gone, or packed. He must've been leaving soon.

 

“Are you hungry? Have you had breakfast yet?” The little investigator stood a few feet in front of the sofa where Taishi sat.

 

“I'm not hungry. Just sit for a while, I need to talk to you about something.”

 

Arima rose an eyebrow but did as he was told. He sat a few inches away from Taishi, remaining quiet and still. Taishi felt a little nervous, as he shifted his position so that he was somewhat closer to Arima, but not noticeable.

 

“So when are you leaving?”

 

“This afternoon.”

 

Taishi could feel his throat dry, followed be his skin paling.

 

 _What? Today?_ He thought in a heated panic.

 

 _However,_ Taishi certainly couldn't say it was too soon. Arima had been here for a while, but still.

 

“Oh....” Taishi tried to play it off. “You're going to go after monsters then?” He tried to laugh, but Arima remained expressionless as usual.

 

“Ghouls Taishi, you know that.” He corrected. “It surprises me that you of all people mistake something so crucial.”

 

“Crucial?” Taishi rose an eyebrow and faced Arima.

 

“It simply sounded like you were undermining the devastation that 'ghouls', put you and your friends through. _Not,_ monsters.” Arima hadn't noticed the change in Taishi's mood. The redhead had grown furious. He had come to the apartment to bid Arima farewell, now he wanted to punch him in the nose.

 

“Don't lecture me about the 'devastation' ghouls put me and my friends through. I know enough about that.” He was getting angry, and that was not his intention. He knew his words were going to slip, and he was going to say things he didn't mean to, but he couldn't stop himself. “Maybe it'll be better with you gone! This shit started happening when you showed up!You're fucking bad luck and all you can do is hide behind that same, bland face!”

 

Taishi didn’t know when he had gotten to his feet, but he was certainly standing now. Arima was staring up at him, with his hands in his lap. His expression wasn't exactly bland, but it wasn't familiar either. His eyes had rested a bit, and the corner of his lips had dropped slightly.

 

“I'm sorry to know that you think that way of me. Forgive me if I am bad luck, I wasn't aware.” Arima stood up, and walked past the taller boy. “It was nice being acquainted with you. Though I wish our final meeting could've gone differently. If it makes you feel any better, like I said, I'll be gone. I'll take my bad luck with me.”

 

His voice was as monotonous as it had been, but Taishi could tell he'd hurt Arima. He took a few steps towards the open door and gazed down at his counterpart.

 

“I'm sorry.”

 

“It's fine.” Arima held on to the knob. “You can leave now.”

 

“And what about you?” Taishi crossed his arms.

 

“I'll continue to work for the CCG.”

 

“What a way to spend your life.”

 

“And what about you?” Arima continued. “School doesn't seem to be in your favor.”

 

Taishi paused for a while at that.

 

Arima was certainly right, but it was more like “Tokyo” didn't seem to be in his favor. He'd finish school, sure, but here...in Tokyo, no. This place had too many memories, more negative than positive. Taishi couldn't stay here.

 

“I'm leaving Tokyo soon.”

 

Arima actually seemed curious. “When?” He stare at Taishi with a great amount of innocence in his eyes. The way the light reflected off of his dark green, greyish iris' truly illuminate the beauty Taishi had seen the first time they'd met.

 

He couldn't help but blush.

 

“I um...next week. Maybe tomorrow. I just wanna get out of Tokyo and see other things.” He shrugged. “I don't like it here anymore.”

 

“Oh.” Arima managed a smile. “That's good for you then Taishi. I know you'll enjoy that_”

 

“You should probably come with me.”

 

Arima slightly gasped and opened his mouth to speak, however Taishi rudely cut him off. “Yeah, yeah..I get it okay? You're an investigator, but you're also a kid. Like me, like everyone else. You even said you never met with people in your age group....” The redhead put his hands on Arima's shoulders. “I know it's not easy for you. You can pretend it is but it's not. And Arima they've really messed you up...”

 

“....” Arima's eyes were actually wide, as if the very words spewing from Taishi's mouth were attacking him, but it was evident he attempted to fight his expression.

 

“Just live normally, please...and if you aren't going to do it for yourself, then do it for me.” He managed a smile. “I've lost so much, my life has practically been ruined...there's no getting it back, there's no repairing my past, which is why I can't stay here. But, I'm not going to let you ruin your life.”

 

If it was possible to break Arima, then Taishi was quite sure he did it. Arima stood there, attempting to calm his facial expressions, looking more confused than he ever had before. “I can't...my duty is to the CCG. Thank you for your offer but...”

 

Taishi silenced Arima by pulling him into a tight hug. The blue haired boy's surprisingly skinny frame nearly crushed under Taishi's weight.

 

“I'm all you've got Arima...and you're all I've got. Think about what you want, please...just live normally. Come with me and we can forget about everything.” Taishi squeezed him tighter. “We can leave tomorrow morning...you can stay at my house for now.”

 

“We can't get anywhere on your motor bike.” Arima peered up from his embrace.

 

“First of all, it's a motor cycle,” Taishi corrected as he spun Arima out of his grasp. “And second of all...I have a car too...” He wrapped his arm around Arima's waist and pulled him close. “It's a big car....”

 

Arima smiled. He was actually _smiling._ This caused Taishi's heart to warm. “We could go wherever we wanted.”

 

“How would we get money? How would we make a living?” It was refreshing to see that he was oozing in to the idea.

 

“Don't worry about it.” Taishi pulled Arima closer. “I'll take care of you...”

 

“Taishi you're crazy.” Arima commented looking away slightly. There was the slight threat that he would return to hi sold, non-caring, stoic self. Taishi had to do something before he did.

 

He leaned down, quickly, with his arm still wrapped around Arima's slim waist, and place a kiss on the corner of his lips.

 

Arima blinked for a while, flabbergasted as Taishi drew back.

 

“You told me I was bad luck, remember?” Arima whispered as Taishi pulled him closer.

 

“Crazy and bad luck go good together.”

 


End file.
